New Yorker

Alex Guillen
Mr. Gerdes
APELAC
Response to Jill Lepore’s: “The Prism” The violation of one’s privacy and different events that have aroused within history that regurgitate a violation of privacy is the theme surrounding this article. In addition to this the article is centered around the idea that as individuals are defending their privacy more and more methods are being developed to try and invade that privacy, especially more so in this modern day and age because technologies are being developed that were unprecedented hundreds of years ago. Another theme expressed in the article is the idea that American culture today can be viewed as a paradox because many individuals love being seen and hidden at the same time, that the only thing that is loved more than privacy is publicity. Lastly, two big events that occurred and are currently occurring that reiterate a violation of privacy are the incidents with Giuseppe Mazzini, an Italian exile in London in 1844, who had his mail read by the British government without his consent and the N.S.A. collecting data online for years by tapping directly into the central servers of nine leading U.S. Internet companies. Personally, I believe this article is quite interesting and entertaining and is strongly supported with reliable sources and anecdotes. The author uses a certain literary prose and Biblical references in an attempt to capture the audience; and the author also structures the article in an effective way. For example, the article began with an anecdote about something not very well-known but then connects it with the N.S.A. and the current Obama Administration in order to improve our understanding of the event. This article relates to U.S. history because it incorporates the Obama Administration as previously mentioned and at the same time it refers to earlier American history. For example the article speaks of Olmstead v. United States in 1928 in which the court considered the constitutionality of wiretapping. Eventually Olmstead was convicted but after serving three years’ hard labor was pardoned by Franklin Roosevelt in 1935. Clearly, this article has different aspects of the long history of the United States which is one of the reasons it is such an interesting, capturing article.
Response to Jane Mayer’s: “A Word from Our Sponsor” A documentary filmmaker, Alex Gibney, created a film called “Park Avenue: Money, Power, and the American Dream” which was centered on the growing economic inequality in America. Gibney uses the contrasting ways of the individuals living in the most expensive apartment buildings in Manhattan on 740 Park Avenue and those of the underprivileged people living in the Bronx as a case study. However by doing this Gibney puts David Koch, a billionaire industrialist who resides in 740 Park Avenue, under heavy scrutiny. This caused problems because the film was set to air on public broadcasting entities such as PBS, WNET, WGBH, and ITVS and Koch was a donor to all these companies and he was also a trustee of both WNET and WGBH. Many of the head executives of each of the companies were not sure if they should allow the airing of Gibney’s film because of the fear of upsetting Koch. Eventually due to the many problems that came about Koch decided to resign from WNET on May 16 as he felt he was not supported as well as he should have been by the media organization he gave so much to. I believe this article is interesting and is applicable to young students all the way up to adults because it provides an insight into not only the growing economic inequality within American society but also the way in which the possession of money translates to power. The author does a good job of presenting the information in the article because she gives different accounts to add more detail into the theme of the article which surrounded David Koch. The article relates to U.S. history in different ways; one of them being that the growing economic disparity in America is highlighted. In addition the article states that the Kochs were funding much of the opposition to President Barack Obama by organizing a compilation of advocacy groups. Also, it talks about how federal funding for public broadcasting has been dwindling and the government’s contribution only makes up a small percent of public broadcasting funds. As one can see this article deals with many current problems within the U.S. which heavily center on money and its possession.
Response to Jill Lepore’s: “The Force” The article is centered around the topic of the amount of money the United States spends on military defense and whether it is necessary or not. Another essential aspect surrounding the article is the fact that individuals at the head of Congress that control military actions should not be in such positions of power because of the fact that many of them have never experienced active duty in the military and thus do not understand the troubles one faces during war. Also the article speaks of how the ideals of the United States military seem to be changing with the progression of time. Currently it seems that many Americans view the strength of the nation as stemming from the strength of the military; and that many individuals in Congress believe in the destiny that the United States needs to rule the world. Ultimately the idea that the United States’ military force requires some sort of limitations and perhaps needs to revert back to its original ideas of not having a standing army is the central themes surrounding the article. I believe this article is captivating because it presents information that truly affects the lives of us as Americans every day. The author does a fairly good job of organizing the article in such a way that captures the reader because she shows the changing entity of the U.S. military from early in American history to the present day as we wage in the Afghanistan War. The author supports her assertion of the changing American military by using different first-hand accounts from anti-war veterans and former President Eisenhower. Clearly the article relates to U.S. history as the article is predominantly centered on the U.S. military and the amount of revenue and problems that have been faced by the military. Ultimately, I found it quite interesting that the author mentioned that many Congressional hearings have poor attendance because many individuals that are a part of Congress do not find every hearing important. This came as a shock to me because I was under the assumption that regardless of the hearing there no doubt had to be a great number of people attending because they all in one way or another impact the status of the country; and thus things like this that were stated in the article is what kept me intrigued.
Response to Kelefa Sanneh’s: “Paint Bombs” This article is focused around the idea of anarchism and about a particular individual, David Graeber, who supports it. He was a part of the Occupy Movement that occurred on Wall Street and many individuals were struggling against the local government and police because they did not believe in the idea of a single governing body ceasing the majority of the power. Graeber states that if a new society were to be created that people would have the ability to have a wider range of options. A big topic of discussion surrounding this article was the idea that as the government begins to expand it is even more necessary to try and shrink it. At the same time the article explains that as the state/government grows it may be easier to imagine that one could live without the support of the government since the amount of direct help one would receive would dwindle. In addition the article speaks of how Anarchism may be on the rise in today’s modern world because of the fall of so many institutionalized governments, which is an interesting point. I believe this article is interesting especially because I was never really exposed to the ideas or history of Anarchism. I believe the author did a good job of presenting the information and making his/her point felt to the audience. For example, the author focuses in on one particular individual whom practices Anarchism and gives accounts of his life while at the same time giving accounts of other individuals that support his ideas. This relates to U.S. history in different ways such as when the author mentions that Anarchism has been on the rise in America because of the fall of the Soviet Union. In addition the author also mentions that current President Obama had to present his health-care reforms as an opportunity to reduce federal budget; which has not worked out as planned. Also Graeber credits the Occupy Movement with preventing Mitt Romney from becoming President; and perhaps if Romney would have been elected President America may be a different place as we speak.
Response to Jill Lepore’s: “The Commandments” This article focuses on the American Constitution and the way in which it is open for a great deal of interpretation by Americans; and the fact that different people vary quite a lot on the way in which they decide to interpret the laws that lie within the Constitution. Perhaps one of the reasons that the Constitution is up for such a great deal of interpretation stems from the fact that it has its many faults as Benjamin Franklin pointed out when the Constitution was being originally drafted. In addition, the article focuses around the fact that very few Americans have actually took the time to read the whole Constitution and this proves to be a downfall. If we, as Americans, were familiar with what the Constitution outlined then we would be more apt to demand that our representatives in government abide by it. Also the article mentions that Originalists argue that originalism is the only legitimate way of Constitutional interpretation. In this manner elected representatives pass laws and the courts protect the will of the people by making sure those laws abide by the Constitution as originally drafted. Ultimately the Constitution may not be perfect but nonetheless it is every Americans’ rule of law. I believe this article is interesting and informational, however the author could have done a better job of presenting the information in a way that captured the audience more effectively. Nonetheless the author did a fairly good job of giving supporting evidence for the claims she made such as when she said few Americans have read the Constitution and she goes on and gives the statistic that 72 percent of about a thousand people questioned had never read all forty-four hundred words of the Constitution. Clearly the article is centered on the forefront of American history and how throughout time many Americans have failed to cherish and appreciate their own Constitution as they have not taken the time to truly understand it. Ultimately, this article focused on the way in which America has evolved and progressed throughout time due to the structural foundation laid by the Constitution and to some America’s progression is not as ideal as could be but nonetheless something that has to be accepted by Americans.
Response to Seymour M. Hersh’s: “Last Stand” This article focuses on the Bush Administration and the way in which it went about handling the predicament in Iran as they began to enrich Uranium which can ultimately lead to the development of nuclear bombs. The Bush Administration attempted to make peace talks with Iran assuming that they halted their enrichment activity because they feared that Iran would accumulate nuclear powers and use it to cause devastating effects onto the U.S. military. The Bush Administration was contemplating whether to engage on an attack onto Iran so that they would not attack the U.S. however it was predicted that the war would spread even more as a result. Another topic discussed in the article is the fear of angering Iran which perhaps could lead to them cutting off the oil supply to the United States. In addition the article speaks of how the state of Israel was in great fear because of rumors that Iran had nuclear bombs at their disposal and so Israel seeked out to the United States for assistance and protection. However the situation was difficult as a failed attack on Iran by the United States would lead to a multitude of problems. I believe this article is intriguing because of the fact that it is centered on such a fragile topic that could potentially cause grave danger to the whole world; and for that reason alone it captured me from the outset. The author does a good job of structuring the article by giving the details and ideas surrounding the Bush Administration and then at the same time giving the different opinions of high-ranking military officials and intelligence officers that was closely tied to the manner. In addition I liked how the author incorporated the state of Israel and where it stood in regard to Iran as a neighboring country. This relates to U.S. history because the policies of a former U.S. President are mentioned and the way in which those policies affected the country is discussed. A large scope was put on the United States’ foreign policy of diplomatic relations.

Response to George Packer’s: “The Choice” This article focuses on the Presidential candidates of the 2008 Presidential Election; which were Hilary Clinton and Barack Obama. This article analyzes the different ideas and goals each candidate held such as the fact that Clinton took on more of an executive role whereas Obama took on more of a visionary role in which he believes that Americans can restore their faith in government. The personal struggles of each candidate were examined as well, for example in Obama’s autobiography it is revealed that he struggled with finding his own identity but that he solved them and as a result is comfortable with himself and the complexities of the world. However in Clinton’s autobiography it was seen that she always seemed to have something to hide as if she does not trust anyone to understand her personal struggles. At the same time there were many people who supported Clinton because they believed she was more committed to using power for social change and she will march ahead and let those who want to follow her follow her. Obama was supported by many as well as he looked to implement his vision of change with every American following him to achieve change. Ultimately there are those who say that in order to have won the Presidency Clinton would have had to change her own tactics and engage in more of a leader position. I believe this article is interesting to say the least because it gave me a clear insight into how the Presidential campaign for the 2008 Election was structured and how it swayed the opinions of Americans. I am not very well-versed politically; however after reading this article I became more aware of the political make-up of American politics. In addition I believe the author did a decent job of keeping the reader engaged because he did not solely focus on one Presidential candidate for a long period of time, but rather gave details about both candidates at the same time in order to more effectively show their differences. This strongly relates to U.S. history because it shows how American politics work and the way in which politicians try to gain votes and supporters. Also we are introduced to the reasons behind why the 2008 Presidential Election ended the way it did; and perhaps if it would have ended with Hilary Clinton as U.S. President we could be living in a different America. However that what if question can never really be answered and the election of Obama as President adds on to the long legacy of American history.
Response to Seymour M. Hersh’s: “Torture at Abu Ghraib” This article explores the torture that Iraqi prisoners faced at the hands of American soldiers in Abu Ghirab. Major General Antonio M. Taguba reported the devastating wrongdoings of American soldiers on Iraqi prisoners and there was compelling evidence such as graphic photographic images. Images show that Iraqi inmates had to endure humiliating poses and engage in humiliating acts such as men being naked in front of other men; which are especially looked down upon in Islamic law. These abuses became public because specialist Joseph M. Darby was outraged and demanded that the soldiers that engaged in such cruel acts should have been punished accordingly. In addition the soldiers that did treat the inmates cruelly stated in their defense that they were given orders by the military intelligence to treat them in that manner so that they could get information out of them. Regardless this situation examined in the article has caused enormous consequences for the imprisoned Iraqis and for the perception of the United States and its Army. I believe this article is perhaps one of the most interesting and mind-boggling articles I have ever read. I would have never believed that American soldiers would engage in such acts of violence and cruelty against a group of people that were basically innocent. I was disappointed in a sense to know that I am an American and some of my fellow countrymen did something that was uncalled for. As an American I feel we Americans should protect the underprivileged and not dehumanize them and make their situation worse than what it is. But I believe the author did a good job of presenting the information by giving accounts from different officials that were closely tied to the situation. I appreciate the detail the author gave when describing what the soldiers were doing to the Iraqi prisoners because it allows the reader to get a better understanding of what exactly they had to experience. This article is related to U.S. history because it speaks of how American soldiers treated a certain group of people and the way in which it left a negative image onto America and its history.
Response to Jill Lepore’s: “Benched” This article is centered on the Supreme Court and its process of judicial review. Also mentioned in the article is the idea that what the people think about the judicial review stems from what they think of how the Supreme Court is composed. For example, if the Court is liberal-based then it follows that liberals see the judicial review as good. If the Court is conservative-based then conservatives will thus see the judicial review as a positive thing. In addition, the idea that judicial review is part of a larger struggle for the judicial branch to be free from the constraint of the other stronger branches of government and be free from commercial interests (money) was expressed. For example many state judges, 90 percent of them, run for office and as a result spending on judicial campaigns has greatly increased with the progression of time. Also the article mentions that many problems arise within a democracy when the citizens of that democracy believe that the laws that make up the framework of their country are being bought and sold; as is the problem at times within the United States. Ultimately that is one of the big problems being faced by the Supreme Court, the idea of money taking over the constitutional framework. I believe this article was very informative and beneficial to read because it gave me more knowledge about something I did not know very much about. I found it interesting to find out that some founding fathers of the United States viewed the judicial branch as a weak almost unimportant branch of government. For example in the article there is a quote from Alexander Hamilton in which he says, “The judiciary is beyond comparison the weakest of the three departments of powers…Of the three powers the judiciary is next to nothing.” The author did a good job of connecting older ideologies of American history with newer evolving concepts surrounding American history and more specifically the Supreme Court and judicial branch. This clearly relates to American history because the article is centered on the Supreme Court and its composition and its relation to judicial review; and whether that judicial review is deemed acceptable by the citizens or not.
Response to Steve Coll’s: “Remote Control” One of the topics discussed in this article is the fact that former President Eisenhower agreed with the idea of executing or overthrowing undesirable foreign leaders because as he saw it political assassinations were a good alternative to military action. However it seemed as if Eisenhower’s method of executing political assassinations were not seen as effective as time went on so the presidents that followed put bans on political assassinations. The tide turned after September 11, 2001 when the Pentagon was bombed and President George W. Bush agreed to kill members of Al Qaeda as retaliation. As a result armed drones were implemented and currently the Obama Administration still utilizes it against suspected foreign threats. However the use of drones may in fact be leading to more problems than solutions because political relations between the United States and Pakistan, which has a growing nuclear arsenal, have collapsed because of the use of drones. Ultimately the question that has yet to be answered is, “Does America truly understand the repercussions of using drones to attack foreign nations?” I thought this article was quite interesting because it opened my eye to a situation I was not very well aware of. I never knew that the Obama Administration used drones on foreign threats and even more so I was not aware that President Eisenhower agreed with the idea of political assassinations. The author did a good job of organizing the information into a condensed paper while at the same time still conveying his message to the reader. I found it interesting how the author linked the Obama Administration using drones to former President Eisenhower’s policy of political assassinations; the idea that the reason the Obama Administration decided to use drones came from the ideals of Eisenhower. This clearly relates to U.S. history as the article analyzed the ideas of a former U.S. president and the ideas of a current U.S. president; and the way in which those ideas have affected the United States’ foreign relations today.